Send this to a friend

Downtown businesses board up their storefronts early in the week in anticipation of potential violence. Here, Huntington Bank decorated a boarded up Downtown branch in black and gold, welcoming visitors to the "City of Champions."

With the G-20 over, Pittsburgh is starting to assess what it meant to be the host city for such an international affair. Here's a look at the week in review, and how the region was affected by the event:

Still, other businesses took the opportunity to host foreign delegates and international journalists. Thorp Reed & Armstrong hosted a two-day, pre G-20 program with European Union Minister Counselor Anthony Smallwood and Michael Flaherty, consul and senior trade commissioner for the Canadian Consulate General Buffalo, while The University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University and UPMC offered 'eds and meds' tours to visiting journalists. Some businesses advertised G-20 sales geared toward those who wouldn't be working during the summit.

Protesters leave retailers on edge

By Wednesday, the police presence was massive throughout the city. Demonstrations began in earnest when eight protesters hung a sign saying "Danger. Climate Destruction Ahead." over the West End Bridge.

The owners of Pamela’s Diner, a locally owned establishment famous for its pancakes, was among those to sustain damage. When they heard the news, owners Michele Mazzella and Tim Blosat arrived at the restaurant at 10:30 p.m., stayed on site to clean up until 2 a.m., returned home briefly and were back to open for breakfast Friday morning. They didn’t get any sleep.

“We’re here for the community regardless, seven days a week,” Blosat said. “The Pitt students have been really great this morning. Everyone who has come in couldn’t believe someone would attack us.”

In fact, one man, who identified himself only as a peaceful protester, stopped by the restaurant Friday morning and gave Blosat $20 to help pay for repairs.

Few business professionals braved Downtown

Many businesses, particularly those in the central business district surrounding the convention center, were closed Thursday and Friday, leaving Downtown a virtual ghost town throughout the summit.

Only a few business professionals ventured out as security measures made travel in and out of Downtown challenging. It created an unusual atmosphere in which most pedestrians were either law enforcement, journalists or protesters.

Ken McCrory, a partner at McCrory & McDowell LLC, cancelled his plane tickets to a forensic accounting conference in Orlando so he could absorb the G-20 from his home on Mount Washington and his ninth floor office on Stanwix Street.

“It’s a good thing I came heavily armed,” McCrory joked after arriving in the office Thursday morning having seen no protesters. “I ceded to my wife’s wishes and I wore an older suit,” he said. “But I did wear a Versace tie,” a blue number with gold sun gods.

Pittsburgh's two days in the global spotlight

During the summit, Pittsburgh spent two days in the world spotlight as leaders from more than 20 nations discussed key global economic issues at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. While the official events began with a dinner at the city’s Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, several dignitaries — including Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso — gave speeches in town earlier in the day.

Medvedev’s presentation was the most interactive. He took a few minutes to share some opening remarks with a group of journalists, students and invited Russian nationals from the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University and then took questions for about an hour.

When Medvedev was asked where he sees U.S.-Russian relations in five years, he responded: “I want them to be better than today,” and added that “today they are better than yesterday.”

Suzi Pegg, vice president of global marketing for the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, said she's already received a call about a Danish company who saw the G-20 press coverage and is interested in doing business with Pittsburgh.

“I’ve got a good feeling that this is just a start,” she said.

A mixed bag for local business

It will take time to sort out the full impact of the G-20 on local businesses, but on a near-term basis, the G-20 has proven to be a mixed bag.

Prior to the summit, many retailers and restaurant owners had hoped the influx of international visitors would be a welcome sales boost in what has been a difficult year.

"It has totally killed my business," said Cory Robinson, owner of Cory's Subs, whose business was located just outside the security zone set up by the Secret Service. "I'm probably making one percent of what I thought it would be."

However, taxi driver Jim Marosz says he’s had several good shifts during the week. On Thursday, he picked up two Kremlin Press reporters at the city’s baseball stadium, took them on a beer run and dropped them off at an area hotel. At his suggestion, the reporters bought a case of Yuengling Lager and another of Budweiser, to chase it down. They took a long time to decide, Marosz said, but the tip, "$35 for a $8.35 trip" was worth it.

“Driving a cab is like playing the slot machines,” he said. “Keep playing and you’re eventually gonna hit.”

Praise for Pittsburgh wrapped up the week

He said many leaders commented on how they visited the city 25 or 30 years ago, and could not believe what they saw today.

"Coming back, they were so impressed with the revitalization of the city," Obama said.

"This city has known its share of hard times ... but Pittsburgh picked itself up, and it dusted itself off, and is making the transition to job-creating industries of the future – from biotechnology to clean energy. It serves as a model for turning the page to a 21st century economy, and a reminder that the key to our future prosperity lies not just in New York or Los Angeles or Washington – but in places like Pittsburgh."

Industries:

Comments

If you are commenting using a Facebook account, your profile information may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the 'Post to Facebook' box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below.